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hi linda At 10:31 1998/12/24 -0600, you wrote: >I am a caregiver for Dorothy, 69, who has had parkinsons for >seven years. Since October, her parkinsons has progressed >rather rapidly. We do have an appointment with a specialist >in January. However, this past two weeks, she has been having >repeated hallucinations and has been very depressed and confused. >Her family doctor insists these are not parkinsons symptoms and >wants to refer her to a psychiatrist. I've noticed two other >posts to this list citing similar problems, but no details. Are >these related to parkinsons or not and are electric shock >treatments options to be considered - the only options? >(She is currently on Paxil and Lorazapam.) a couple of things in your message jumped out at me 1. "since october, her parkinsons has progressed rather rapidly" this sounds very much unlike pd and sounds very much like a specific reaction to a specific change in meds, foods, routine, something what change was made in october or september? the changes you describe in the past week sound very much like a med overdose or interaction problem which could very well simply be part of the the progression/deterioration that may have started in october 2. "Her family doctor insists these are not parkinsons symptoms" they may not be strictly pd symptoms but they sure sound like pd-med-related-interaction-problems to this non-medico-nosy-parkie! if her family doctor is so closed-minded about this [and there is still a wide lack of in-depth knowledge about pd] it's time to see a new doctor preferably a neurologist and preferably one who specializes in pd or who is connected with a movement disorder clinic 'experimenting' with our brain chemistry is no joke at the best of times; tunnel vision on the part of muddled medicos can have potentially harmful results dorothy and you know her and her pd best if you have any hunches or doubts about the medical advice you get follow them i have posted info about hallucinations and pd in the past; i will send copies of them to you privately if you have wwweb access, there is also a wealth of information about hallucinations, non-physical symptoms, and drug-induced psychosis in the pd list archives at: <http://james.parkinsons.org.uk/> please keep us informed as to dorothy's status your and dorothy's cyber-sibling janet janet paterson - 51 now /41 dx /37 onset - almonte/ontario/canada [log in to unmask]